Brake beam guide



April 3, 1951 N. FLEscH BRAKE BEAM GUIDE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed' Feb. 8, 1949 i. n@ m5 m7@ N 12 w WM @Kw 5% Nw April 3, 1951 N. FLEscH BRAKE BEAM GUIDE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1949 'April 3, 1951 N. FLEscH 2,547,860

BRAKE .BEAM GUIDE Filed Feb. 8, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 48 INVENTOR.

' Afm/Raf?, /Zasc @MMM April 3, A1951 N. FLl-:s'cH i BRAKE BEAMGUIDE 4 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Feb. 8,A 1949 IN V EN TOR.

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Patented Apr. 3, 1951 BRAKE-"BEAM "GUIDE .Norman.` 'Flesch, 'Cliicago, Ill., assignor to :Amerioan'Steel"Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corpora- -tion of New Jersey Application February 8, 1949, Serial No. '75,103

.10.3Claims. -l `'I'hislinvention relates to brake equipment of the hanger suspended beam type andfmoreparticularly to novel `means' for restraining-swing ing movements-of the rigging.

'Recent `tests have shown that lvarious `partsrof `the brakeriggingare subjected to 'severe stresses as"a"result of violent'freefswinging of the brake riggingwhichI is induced bythe motion of the associatedcar truckoperating at high speeds. This condition isfat least inpartfresponsible-for failure of various parts of the "brake rigging, especially `the-brake hangers.

The general object of the invention is to" provide means for controlling `swinging -movementsro'f the brakesrigging.

A morespecic obj ect'ofv the invention istof provide a'guide tongue-oneach brake beam andra guide bracket --mounted on the truck frame and having a slot-receiving the tongue there-in, said slot and tongue being formedand arranged to accommodate movement'of the beam fromrrelease to applied position vand vice versa and `beingeiflfective to limit movement ofthe brake beam laterally of thetruck, whereby similar movement fof the other parts of the brake rigging connectedVl to the beam is effectivelyrestrained.

--A Vfurther object of the invention is to provide guide means on the beam and on the truck frame which, in addition to controlling the voscillations Another object of the invention is to provide simple,` inexpensive Vguide means whichmay `be incorporated in brake riggingrpresently in use.

'These and other `objects of the invention will beapparentffrom the specication and the drawings, wherein:

-Figure l is a fragmentary 'top planyie'w'offa railway -car truck, showing the inventionapplied to conventional-beam type brake rigging;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of `Figurel with lportions of the frame and brake rigging rat theleft side broken away and `shown in Isection to more clearly illustrate the invention;

'Figure 3 is an end view takenfrom thellleft'of Figures 1 and'2; v

"Figurell is afragmentary view taken substantially on the line'fof 'Figure' 1;

VFigures'b to f8. inclusive, illustrate vvarious parts ofthe guidejassemblyshownin the right'half 'of Figures `1 and' 2. Figure 5 is a `:top plan view'of the friction tongue, and 'Figure Y6 an end view taken from the left of Figure *5; `Figure"7 -is a top plan viewof `the guide'bracket, and'ligure' a front view thereof taken 'from the 'right ofFigure 7:

'Figures 9' to 12, inclusive, illustrate theparts'of the guide assembly shown at the left side Aof Figures 1 and 2. Figure 9 is a top plan View of the guide tongue, and 'Figure 10 fan end view thereof taken from theright of Figure'QjFigure 11 is a top lplan view of the guide bracketfand Figure 12 an end view thereof "taken *from 'the right of Figure 11.

Describing the invention in detail and referring rst to` Figuresl to 4, inclusive, the car truck is of conventional design-and includes a side rail 2 at each side thereofgan end rail 4 at each end thereof vand a transom 6 at each side of the transverse center line ofthe truck. The side rails and end railseand transoms-are integrally joined TAto form-a unitary structure as seen in Figure 1. 4The truck comprises fa wheelvand axle assembly I0 at each end thereof journaledv to the frame inthe usualy manner. Y v

"The truck is provided with conventional 'clasp brakes of the generalftype shownand described in greater detail in Patent No. 2,277,662, issued to Walter H. Baselt by the United VStates Patent O'fceonApril 20, 1937,-an'd as seen in Figures 1 and 2,'comprises a cylinder lever i2 which is operatively connected to a vertical live truck lever I4 which, inturn, is operatively connected to the brake beam lr6 pivotally suspended from thetruck frame by a hanger i8. The brake beamcarries a` brake head or friction assembly 20 for engagement with the periphery of the adjacent wheel. The lever I4 is connected to a, dead truck lever 22 `which is pivoted at its upper end as 'at `2ito they truck frame and Which-at its lower end is operatively connected to the brake beam 2B, `said beam 26 being suspended from the truck frame by the'lever 22 'and a, hanger??? and carryingza brake head and shoe assembly 39' (Figure 3) for Aengagement with ther-periphery of the adjacent 1t will berunderstood that the brake rigwheel. ging-iat opposite sides of the truck is interconnected by the lbrake beams extending transversely of the truck and that thebeams are similarly suspended at theoppositefends thereof. It will be noted that the bralre'rigging, which includes the before-mentioned parts, is pivotally suspended from' theltruck frame and, as the points of pivot Wear, the rigging is normally free to pivot and to=swing laterally. Lateral swinging of the brake rigging, whichwhen brought to sudden stops at eaohend Yof-its swing, "induces bending stresses in Vthe hangers 'andthe'truck levers." This conetant 'bending eiect progressively fatigues the material, resulting in ultimate `failure of the hangers an`d the levers generally through'the body portions thereof.

`In order to Ycorrect this condition, combination guidef'an'dcontrol assemblies, generally indicated 32 and-734, are provided at approximately the longitudinal 4center line of 4the truck as 'shown at the right and left'sides, respectively, of Figures l'and2.

"The assembly 3'2, parts of which are shownin Figures 5to 8, inclusive, includes a tonguemember 36 anda Acooperating guide `member 38,fthe tongue member being connected to the brake beam FFE and theguide lmember being Connected to'ithe'a'djacent transom 6, `as 'hereinafter' more fully fexplained.

The 'tongue membereomprises a U-shape'd jaw portion'atone end, said jaw portion lincluding topl and bottom webs id!) v'and T42 'andan'intermediate web 44 forming the inner end of the jaw. The jaw receives the bar portion 46 (Figure 2) of the brake beam |6 and is connected thereto by rivets 48 (Figure 1). The tongue member also comprises a portion extending from the rear of the jaw, said portion including a generally vertical web 50 merging with the rear side of wall 44 and the upper surface of the top web 40. The web 50 terminates at its extremity remote from the jaw portion in a thicker generally.

rectangular tongue portion 52, the tongue portion 52 being faced with nonmetallic pads 54, 54, such vas brake lining, secured to portion 52 by spaced rivets 56, 56. The web 50 is provided at the lower end of the tongue portion 52 with laterally extending ledges 60, 66 which on their top sides are faced with nonmetallic pads 62, such as brake lining, secured to the respective ledges by rivets 64. The web 50 is reinforced by gussets 65, 65 extending from opposite sides thereof between the rear side of the jaw wall 40 and' the adjacent margins of theledges 60, 60 and' merging therewith. The ledges 60, 60 are reinforced byv outstanding anges 66, 66 at opposite sides of web 50. The flanges 66 merge at their upper ends with the undersides of the respective ledges and extend to the lower edge of web 56 and follow the lower edge of the web 50 and merge with the lower end of the rear side of the jaw wall 40 of the guide tongue.

The tongue portion 52 is received within a generally vertical slot 68 dened between the spaced generally vertical side webs 10, of the guide braket 3 8. Webs 10, 70 are interconnected at their upper edges by a transverse web 12 and are connected to a mounting portion, generally designated 54. The mounting portion 'I4 comprises a generally vertical mounting plate or wall 'I6 connected at its lower end to the inner ends of webs 10 and T2 and at its upper end terminating in a securing lug 'I8 extending substantially at right angles thereto. The connection between the webs 'I6 and 'l2 and the wall 16 is reinforced by spaced upstanding gussets 80, 80 which merge with the top surface of lug 18, the external side of plate 16 and the webs 10 and 72. The mounting plate 16 is seated against a side of the associated transom 6 and is secured thereto in any convenient manner as by welding at B2, 82. The securing lug 18 overlaps the top of the transom and is secured by a rivet 84 to the transom. The lower edges of the webs 70, 70 are provided with outturned flanges 86, 86, these flanges being reinforced intermediate their ends by laterally extending gussets 68, 88 on the remote sides of the webs 10, 10, the gussets 88 merging at their lower edges with the top sides of the respective flanges. It will be observed that the bottom sides of the flanges 86 as well as the ledges 60, 60 on the guide tongue are inclined rearwardly downwardly toward the transom 6 in order to accommodate movement of the brake rigging to and from the wheels. The flanges 86, 06 are adapted to abut against the pads 62, 62 in the release position of the rigging thus serving as balancing means to prevent rotation of the brake beam i6 under the weight of the truck lever I4, as may be seen at the right of Figure 2 and also control vertical movement of the associated portion of the rigging. Lateral movement of the brake beam is controlled by the pads 54, 54 on the tongue p0rtion 52 of the tongue member engaging the adjacent sides of the webs 10, 10. The assembly 32 thus serves not only to control lateral and vertical oscillations of the brake beam I6 and the parts connected thereto but to balance the beam by limiting rotation of the beam I6 to prevent the friction assembly 20 from dragging on the wheel in the release position of the rigging.

Referring now to the left side of Figures 1 and 2 and to Figures 9 to 12, it will be noted that the assembly 34 is in general similar to assembly 32 and comprises a guide bracket 90, which is secured to the adjacent end rail 4, and a guide tongue 92 secured to the brake beam 26.

The tongue 92 comprises a jaw portion at one side of its lower end, said jaw portion including top and bottom webs 96 and 98 receiving a bar portion of the brake beam 26 therebetween. The jaw also comprises a web |00 defining the inner end of the jaw and interconnecting the top and bottom webs thereof and abutting against the adjacent lateral edge of the bar portion of beam 26. The jaw portion is secured to the beam 26' by rivets |02, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3. Externally of the jawr portion, vthe tongue member comprises a generally vertical web |04 which extends around webs 96, 98 and |00 and merges therewith and at its upper end is formed with a generally rectangular tongue portion |06. The web |04 is reinforced directly below the tongue portion |06 by spaced tapered gussets |08 ex-"f tending outwardly from opposite sides of web connected by a transverse web H8, which at one end extends beyond the webs I6 and is enlarged' laterally to provide a securing lug |20 for the bracket 90. The lug |20 seats on the top web of the adjacentchannel section end rail 4 and may' be secured theretoin any convenient manner, as by rivets |22. The ends of the webs ||6 adjacent lug |20 are provided with outturned anges |24 to afford a seat for the bracket against the adjacent edges of the webs of the end rail 4. The outturned flanges |24 are formed adjacent their lower ends with outwardly protruding extensions |26 which are reinforced by gussets |28 merging with the top surfaces of respective extensions |26 and the external sides of respective anges |24. The extensions |26 are designed to seat on the top side of lower web of the end rail 4 and to be secured thereto as by welding at |30. The bracket 90 is reinforced at its top side by a gen?- erally vertical rib |32 which extends medially along the top of wall ||8. The lateral sides of the bracket are reinforced by vertically spaced gussets |34 and |36 merging with the outer sides of the respective side walls I6 and the adjacent sides of the outturned flanges 24. The lower edges of the side walls and the gussets |36, |36

are slightlycurved upwardly to provide clearance pendulously suspending the beam from the frame, and means for limiting movements of the beam transversely of the truck comprising a substantially vertical tongue on the beam extending upwardly therefrom, a guide above the beam fixed to the frame and having a downwardly open slot elongated longitudinally of the beam and receiving said tongue therein, said tongue and beam being movable longitudinally of the truck toward and away from said assembly and said tongue being Aengageable with the sides of the slot to limit movement of the beam transversely of the truck, abutment means at opposite sides of the tongue, and abutment means on said guide above said inst-mentioned abutment means and engageable therewith to limit rotation of the beam.

2. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck, a frame, a supporting wheel and axle assembly therefor, brake means for said assembly, including a beam carrying friction means engageable with said assembly, means pivotally suspending said beam from said frame, means for controlling movements of said beam laterally of said truck and comprising a guide member on said frame, a tongue member on said beam extending into a slot in said guide member, nonmetallic abutment means on said tongue engageable with the sides of said slot during said movement of said beam, iianges on said guide member, ledges on said tongue member, and nonmetallic pads on said ledges engageable with said flanges in the released position of said brake means.

3. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck, a frame, a wheel and axle assembly, brake means for said assembly, including a beam carrying friction means engageable with saidv assembly, support means for said beam pivotally connected to said frame, a rotatable connection between said beam and said support means, and means for controlling certain movements of said beam, comprising a guide member on said frame having a slot therein, a tongue member on said beam extending into the slot in said guide member and abuttable with the sides of said slot during said movements of the beam, and engageable abutment means on said members for limiting rotation of said beam.

4. In a brake arrangement for a truck comprising a frame member, a brake beam member rotatably carried by the frame member, and means for controlling certain movements of said beam member comprising a guide on one of said members having a slot therein, a tongue on the other of said members extending into said slot and abuttable with said guide during said movements of the beam member, and engageable abutment means on said tongue and guide for limiting rotation of the beam.

5. In a brake arrangement for a truck comprising a frame and a wheel and axle assembly, a beam pendulously suspended from the frame and carrying friction means for engagement with the wheels of said assembly, means for limiting lateral movement of said beam comprising a member connected to the beam intermediate its ends, and a member connected to the frame, one of said members having a slot extending lengthwise transversely of the beam and receiving a portion of the other member therein, and engageable abutment means on said members for limiting movement of said beam away from said assembly, the abutment means on said one mem- .ber sloping away from the abutment means on the other member toward said assembly.

6. In a device of the class described, a guide member comprising spaced side webs dening a guide slot therebetween, a wall interconnecting said side webs and at one end extending therebeyond to provide a securing lug for said member, outturned flanges on said webs at said ends connected at their upper extremities to said lug, and gussets connecting adjacent sides of said flanges and said webs.

7. In a brakearrangement for a railway car truck, a frame, a supporting wheel and axle assembly, including brake beams pendulously suspended at op-posite sides of said assembly, means for controlling movement of each beam laterally of the truck comprising cooperating elements connected to the frame and to the beam respectively, said elements being arranged to abut against each other upon lateral movement of said beam, and abutment means on cooperating elements engageable to limit movement of the associated beam away from said assembly, the abutment means on one of said elements sloping away from the abutment means on the other of said elements toward said assembly to accommodate pendulous movement of the associated beam toward the assembly.

8. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck, a frame, a supporting wheel and axle assembly therefor, brake means for said assembly including a brake beam pendulously suspended from the frame, and means for controlling movements of said beam laterally of the truck comprising abuttably arranged elements on said beam and said frame, said elements including abutment means engageable to limit movement of the beam away from the assembly along faces disposed in a plane intersecting the arc of pendulous movement of the beam toward and away from said assembly. v

9. In a device of the class described, a guide member comprising spaced side webs andan intervening top wall deiining a guide slot, a mounting plate connected to said webs, a securing lug extending from said plate, and gussets additionally interconnecting said lug with said wall and said wall with said webs. v

10. A brake beam guide member comprising spaced side walls and a connecting wall joining said side walls along one of their longitudinal edges and defining a guide slot therewith, mounting means at one end of said member connected to said walls, abutment means on the edges of said side walls remote from said connecting wall and sloping from said one end of said member toward said connecting wall.

NORMAN FLESCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 165,487 Garth et al July 13, 1875 1,662,916 Busse Mar. 20, 1928 1,784,917 Walker Dec. 16, 1930 1,841,515 l Anderson Jan. 19, 1932 2,199,128 Grossman Apr. 30, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 213,943 Great Britain Apr. '7, 1924 

